What Do Major Gifts Managers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for major gifts managers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what major gifts managers do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Major Gifts Managers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about major gifts managers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Major Gifts Managers plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.
Popular Job Titles For Major Gifts Managers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Directors of Development
- Grants Managers
- Grants Administrators
- Directors of Philanthropy
- Grants Management Specialists
- Grants Specialists
- Associate Directors of Development
- Grants Coordinators
- Assistant Directors of Annual Giving
- Fundraising Managers
- Directors of Major Gifts
- Major Gifts Managers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for major gifts managers can be found.
Best Industries for Major Gifts Managers
Major Gifts Managers Jobs By Industry
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools: 17.4%
- Grantmaking and Giving Services: 17.3%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 9.1%
- Religious Organizations: 6.6%
- Social Advocacy Organizations: 5.3%
- Elementary and Secondary Schools: 5%
- Other: 39.3%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of major gifts managers can be found working in the Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools sector. In 2023, about 17.4% of all jobs for major gifts managers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Grantmaking and Giving Services (17.3%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (9.1%), Religious Organizations (6.6%), Social Advocacy Organizations (5.3%) and Elementary and Secondary Schools (5%).
What Do Major Gifts Managers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what major gifts managers do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work major gifts managers do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that major gifts managers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for major gifts managers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Major Gifts Managers
Based on 34,964 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Major Gifts Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Fundraising | 19,921 | 57% |
| Sales Prospecting | 13,026 | 37% |
| Marketing | 8,180 | 23% |
| Project Management | 7,159 | 20% |
| Philanthropy | 6,900 | 20% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Major Gifts Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 21,139 | 60% |
| Management | 18,303 | 52% |
| Leadership | 15,350 | 44% |
| Research | 12,905 | 37% |
| Writing | 12,890 | 37% |
Based on 34,964 job postings related to major gifts managers, fundraising was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 57% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for sales prospecting, marketing, project management, philanthropy and finance were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for major gifts managers, followed by management, leadership, research, writing and planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Fundraising | 19,921 | 57% |
| Sales Prospecting | 13,026 | 37% |
| Marketing | 8,180 | 23% |
| Project Management | 7,159 | 20% |
| Philanthropy | 6,900 | 20% |
| Finance | 6,535 | 19% |
| Planned Giving | 5,147 | 15% |
| Accounting | 4,687 | 13% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 4,083 | 12% |
| Grant Writing | 4,015 | 11% |
| Grant Applications | 3,599 | 10% |
| Raiser's Edge NXT | 3,305 | 9% |
| Prospect Research | 3,115 | 9% |
| Auditing | 2,921 | 8% |
| Financial Statements | 2,862 | 8% |
| Salesforce | 2,798 | 8% |
| Advertising Mail | 2,527 | 7% |
| Public Relations | 2,493 | 7% |
| Data Analysis | 2,093 | 6% |
| Newsletters | 1,809 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 21,139 | 60% |
| Management | 18,303 | 52% |
| Leadership | 15,350 | 44% |
| Research | 12,905 | 37% |
| Writing | 12,890 | 37% |
| Planning | 11,640 | 33% |
| Detail Oriented | 9,296 | 27% |
| Coordinating | 8,148 | 23% |
| Microsoft Office | 8,085 | 23% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 7,370 | 21% |
| Operations | 6,649 | 19% |
| Microsoft Excel | 6,282 | 18% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 6,065 | 17% |
| Budgeting | 6,014 | 17% |
| Organizational Skills | 5,783 | 17% |
| Presentations | 5,471 | 16% |
| Customer Service | 5,336 | 15% |
| Self-Motivation | 4,865 | 14% |
| Problem Solving | 4,856 | 14% |
| Strategic Planning | 4,810 | 14% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Major Gifts Managers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Development | 13,961 | 34.8% |
| Grants Managers | 4,797 | 12% |
| Grants Administrators | 2,128 | 5.3% |
| Directors of Philanthropy | 2,150 | 5.4% |
| Grants Management Specialists | 1,521 | 3.8% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was directors of development, with 4,710 unique job postings. Grants managers were second, with 894 postings, followed by grants administrators, directors of philanthropy and grants management specialists.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to major gifts managers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Development | 13,961 | 34.8% |
| Grants Managers | 4,797 | 12% |
| Grants Administrators | 2,128 | 5.3% |
| Directors of Philanthropy | 2,150 | 5.4% |
| Grants Management Specialists | 1,521 | 3.8% |
| Grants Specialists | 1,601 | 4% |
| Associate Directors of Development | 1,832 | 4.6% |
| Grants Coordinators | 1,538 | 3.8% |
| Assistant Directors of Annual Giving | 1,655 | 4.1% |
| Fundraising Managers | 890 | 2.2% |
| Directors of Major Gifts | 1,130 | 2.8% |
| Major Gifts Managers | 833 | 2.1% |
| Development Managers | 811 | 2% |
| Directors of Donor Engagement | 801 | 2% |
| Directors of Individual Giving | 861 | 2.1% |
| Annual Giving Managers | 924 | 2.3% |
| Individual Giving Managers | 501 | 1.3% |
| Directors of Leadership Giving | 776 | 1.9% |
| Assistant Directors of Development | 699 | 1.7% |
| Donor Relations Managers | 664 | 1.7% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for major gifts managers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for major gifts managers.
How much do major gifts managers make?
Major Gifts Managers: How do you become one?
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